Champagne Tasting Event: 2008 vs 2009

The 2008 vintage is widely considered to be one of the greatest of this century and the next-best since the legendary 2002. As such, each new release has been met with increasing levels of enthusiasm.

Over the last few months, the first prestige cuvées from this outstanding vintage have begun to emerge on the market and excitement has duly evolved into near pandemonium. The incredibly high scores that these champagnes have received from the world's leading wine critics have further piqued consumer interest and have been reflected in the high prices being asked in the market.

However, with 2008 receiving so much attention, the 2009 vintage has been somewhat overlooked. Comparing the two vintages side-by-side will allow for objective comparison and hopefully highlight both the unrealised power of the 2009s and the superb ageing potential of the 2008s. As market prices for the top 2008 vintage champagnes continue to increase, this tasting offers a fascinating opportunity to evaluate the vintage's superiority and price premium.

Guests will taste eight pairs of 2008 and 2009 vintage champagnes from the most well-known houses in the region. The world's leading wine critic, Jancis Robinson MW, will be guiding guests through the experience, sharing her expert insights into these stunning vintages and champagnes.

Many of the champagnes to be tasted are brand new, or even yet to be released, such as the highly anticipated Dom Pérignon 2008 and Louis Roederer Cristal 2008. This tasting therefore offers an exclusive opportunity to be amongst the first in the world to taste a range of newly released vintage champagnes and preview some outstanding champagnes to come.

The handpicked selection of 2008 and 2009 champagnes will be tasted in pairs. The brand will be revealed, but the vintage identity will be kept secret. Guests will be able to rate each champagne using our live scoring app on a phone or tablet. Voting and scoring stats will be presented and discussed throughout the evening and a prize will be awarded to the guest who manages to correctly identify the most champagnes.

Jancis Robinson MW: Described by Decanter magazine as ‘the most respected wine critic and journalist in the world’, Jancis writes daily for JancisRobinson.com (voted first ever Wine Website of the Year) and weekly for The Financial Times. She is also editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine, an award-winning TV presenter and global wine judge. In 1984 she was the first person outside of the wine trade to pass the rigorous Master of Wine exams and in 2003 she was awarded an OBE.

The venue will be 67 Pall Mall (St James’s, London, SW1Y 5ES). Founded by wine lovers for wine lovers, this unique private members' club in the heart of historic St James's is both luxurious and welcoming, affording members access to some of the finest and rarest wines in the world, direct from the club's extensive cellars.

Tickets are available on a first come first served basis to 56 guests at £250.00 per person.